Tractor-operated saw



Feb. 19,l 1952 w. A. DENNIS TRACTOR-OPERATED SAW Filed Jan. 18, 1949 v 'WILLIM A. DENNIS v www4?.

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATE-1N r ori-ic E 586,622

TRACTOR-OPERATED SAW WilliamvV-Albert Dennis, Caing1-91;, S .A (1 V Application January 18, 1949,v Serial No.` 'Z1-495 8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to tractor mounted power saws and in particular to improved means for mounting the saw and for feeding `to it logs thatlare to be cut.v

A--primary object of the invention-isto provide anim-proved suspension for a circular wood saw whereby it may `be mounted on andA driven by a tractor without any special equipment or modifications to the tractorand wherebyl the saw is-mounted between the front and rear wheels of `thetractor--andparallel-to the frame of the tractor in such-a manner that it is protected from injury-while the tractor is being -driven `from one place to another. f

Another` object ofthe invention-is to provide improved means for feeding logs to the sawin a direction at right angles to and beneath the frame of the tractor between the front andv rear wheels thereof, -thesaid feeding meansbeing driven from a standard power take-off shaft of the tractor.

Still another-object is to provide means actuated bythe standard hydraulicpump .of the tractor for raising and lowering the saw.

Yet another object is to provide a simplied unitary frame that may; be easily-attached to or Aremoved from the tractor-frame and which has-mounted thereon both the sawand the log feeding means--in such a manner that they do notprotrude-beyondthe rear wheels of the tractor norto the rear of the tractor and hence doy not interfere with the use of the tractor for other purposes while mounted thereon.

A preferred form-of the invention is shown ln-the accompanying drawing-in which:

Figure 1 is side elevational view showing the invention-applied to a standard tractor, and

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figurel.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is shown applied to a standard tractor I having a pairof rear traction wheels Ia and a pair of pivo'tally mounted front wheels Ib. The tractor is also provided with a power take-ofi shaft 2 lon one side and another power take-off shaft 3 at the rear, as well as a hydraulic pump (not sh/own) which is usually included in the accessory group at the rear of the tractor, this group also including shaft 3j. The arms 4 and 5 of a Ufshaped frame 6 are attached to opposite sides @whe traCtQr fri-1.1mm.4 The. Crossbar 1 which connects the two arms 4 and 5 extends beyond .arm 5 and carriesa Astub arm Il. A counter- 9c carried by arms 4, 5v and 8.

A swinging arm yIII comprising two side-members I0a VAand Ib connected by crossl members Ic and having stubv members-ltd mountedcpn one end of members I and Ib and atrfrigh-t angles thereto .is .pivotally vmounted on shafts-9 by means of bearings-Qdand 9e. carried byfstub members IIld and positioned..betweenfbearings 9b and 9c.A The other end Voff -arm-Irrcarries shaft' I-I which is journaledin-fbearingsliIfuzand I Ib mounted on the members -.I Ua and ,-IUb mear the free ends: thereof.- A-.circular saw I2-veis mounted on the inner end of7 shafty -I I.J

Mounted between members- Illa and 10b-ron shafts 9 and Il, respectively, are-pulleys--IS and I il which areconnectedbyv belts I5, preferably` V-belts; At-thefother end ofshaft 9 .is mounted pulleyv I 6 .which is connected. by belt I'I to pulley` I8 mounted on powerv taker-.off

shaft 2.

Intermediate the-ends of arm` I0 areuprlghts Isa and I9b connected at the-top--by crosslbar 20 whichextends to one side and. over arm 5 ofthe U-shaped mounting frame. I9a may be braced by a couple of tie-rods12l secured to the top end of the upright-.and-` anfchored to the ends-of arm member Illa. A :hydraulic cylinder 22 extends between--the-overhanging end of cross bar 20 and the-frame'arm 5 and is-pivotally attachedto arm 1 -5 aty 22a. The connecting rodl 22h extending out: of the upperend of cylinder 22-fisA pivotallyconnecte'd to the overhanging-end `of cross bar. 20;: whereby -reciprocation of the -pistoniny the-cylinder 22 will raise and lower the saw-supportingv arm IEB. The cylinder 22 is--actuated by pressure from vthe hydraulic pump provided as standard equipment on--theYK tractor in -order-.to raise.- and lower the saw I2. A control valve is'provided near theoperators Seaton-the tractor -forcontrolling the iiuid supplied rfrom the-.pump--to the cylinder -2-2.

The arrangement for drawing in-.logsv-to .be sawedand for moving-them-in-to proper position to be-sawed `includes-a winch-23 arranged on the opposite side-of thetractor'from-fthe-saw andA being rotatably-mounted on a shaft 24 which in turnis rotatablymounted in bearings 24a, 24h vcarried by a pair ofA laterally extendingbrackets-23a-and 23h secured to--frame-arrn `4. Sha-ft'24- is parallel to arm-4 and extends tothe rear ofthe-tractor whereitis connected tothe rear power take-off-shaft-S bysuitable means such as the sprocket -25= mounted-onshaft 24, chain 26, and sprocket 21 mounted on--shaft 3. A suitable change-speed gearing *28e-may be The.- upright.

anso-,622

3 interposed in the drive for the winch if desired. The winch 23 is releasably connected to shaft 24 through clutch 29 which may be operated by suitable controls placed within reach of the operators position. When the clutch is disengagedthe winch 23 is free to rotate on shaft 24 so the cable on the winch may be pulled out and attached to a log to be pulled in. The

shaft 24 when gearing 28 is not provided may y be supported at its rear end by a bearing 3Dy which is bolted to one of the several mounting pads usually provided on the rear axle housing of the tractor.

The'winch is used to drag logs to the tractor vis roller is journaled on a shaft mounted between two inclined arms 32a and 32h which form the in order that the ramp may be swung up and out of the way when it is desired to move the tractor. For example, arms 32a and 32D may be pivoted to brackets 32a and 32h which are rigidly secured either directly to the tractor i frame or to the saw frame member v5. The roller 3| has a smaller diameter at its mid-point :than at each end in order more effectively to hold the log in position,` and a ramp floor -33 having diverging side walls is supported on arms` 32a and 32h in front of the roller 3| to assist in guiding the log onto the roller.

sitioned beneath the tractor and in a position to locate the log directly below the saw in its operating position.

The operation of the saw is believed to be clear from the foregoing description. In the normal position of the saw as shown in Figure'. 1, the lower end of cylinder 22 is connected to vthe uid supply or pump and the saw is held in its upper position. When a log is brought It will be 'noted that the ramp, including roller 3|, is po- `frame of the ramp and which are pivotally. i attached at their upper ends to the tractor frame into sawing position on roller 3|, the valve cony trolling the cylinder is shifted to connect the upper end of the cylinder to the fluid pump and the lower end to the return pipe. The speed `of loweringr the saw is controlled by throttlinjg the control valve. the control valve is operated to reverse the connections to the two ends of the cylinder.

When the saw is to be raised,

The cylinder 22 may be of the single acting type normally holding the saw in raised position, and

when the saw is to be lowered the connectionl .tothe lower end of the cylinder is shifted from the "j pump to the return pipe and, by properly' throttling the return of the fiuidfrom the cylinlder, the saw may be lowered gradually by gravity into sawing position. The saw supporting arm may be counter-weighted or provided with a suitable biasing spring for normally holding the 'saw inraised position, and the cylinder 22 would "for moving the saw without danger to the operator. Y

What is claimed is:

i. A power saw arrangement mounted cn and driven by a tractor having a power take-off shaft on one side thereof, said arrangement comprising a generally U-shaped frame mounted across the front of said tractor, the arms of said frame being attached to opposite sides of the frame of said tractor, a counter-shaft mounted for rotation on the yoke portion of said U-shaped frame at right angles to said arms, said counter-shaft extending across the front of said tractor forward of the front axle thereof, a swinging arm positioned on the opposite side of said tractor from said take-oil shaft and its forward end pivotally mounted on said counter-shaft and its rear end extending to a point substantially mid-way between the front and rear wheels of said tractor, a second shaft mounted parallel to said counter-shaft in bearings at the free end of said swinging arm, a circular saw mounted on said second shaft, driving means operatively connecting said counter-shaft and said second shaft, driving means operatively connecting said counter-shaft and said power take-01T shaft, and actuating means connecting said swinging arm and one arm of said U-shaped frame for swinging said swinging arm about said counter-shaft to raise and lower said saw.

2. A power saw arrangement according to claim 1 and including a winch mounted on the frame of said tractor on the opposite side thereofffrom said saw with its rotary axis arranged parallel with the fore-and-aft axis of said tractor, whereby said winch may be used to draw logs into sawing position beneath said saw from positions displaced to one side of said tractor, and releasable clutch means for driving said winch from said tractor.

3. A power saw arrangement according to claim 2 and including a log supporting ramp pivotally supported at one end on the side of said tractor .adjacent said saw and having its free end rest- ,ing upon the ground on the opposite side of said tractor, said ramp being movable into a raised position out of contact with the ground.

4. A power saw arrangement mounted on and driven by ;a tractor having a power take-off shaft extending laterally from one side thereof at a point between the front and rear axles of said tractor, said arrangement comprising a counter-shaft mounted upon said tractor across the front end thereof and forward of the front axles of said tractor, means for driving said counter-shaft from said take-off shaft, a saw supporting arm arranged on the opposite side of said tractor from said take-off shaft and having the front end thereof pivotally mounted on said counter-shaft and its rear end extending to a point substantially mid-way ybetween the front and rear wheels of said tractor, a circular saw rotatably mounted on the free end ofsaid 4arm with its plane arranged parallel with the fore and aft axis of said tractor, means for driving said saw from said counter-shaft, a log supporting ramp arranged beneath said tractor adjacent said saw and having a pair of parallel supporting arms pivotally attached at their upper ends to said tractor on the side adjacent said saw and having their lower ends resting on the ground on the opposite side ofsaid tractor. and actuating means connected to said swinging arm for swinging said arm about said countershaft to raise and lower said saw with respect -to said ramp.

5. A power saw arrangement according to claim 4 and including a winch mounted on said tractor above said ramp and on the opposite side of the tractor from said saw with its rotary axis arranged parallel with the fore-and-aft axis of said tractor, whereby said winch may be used to draw logs into sawing position on said ramp, and releasable clutch means for driving said winch from said tractor.

6. A power saw arrangement according to claim 4 and including means for normally holding said saw supporting arm in a raised position, and a tractor-operated power device for controlling movement of said arm to a lower position.

7. A power saw arrangement mounted upon a tractor comprising a circular saw mounted at one side of said tractor between the front and rear wheels thereof with its plane arranged parallel with the fore-and-aft axis of said tractor, means for raising and lowering said saw,

a log supporting ramp arranged beneath said tractor adjacent said saw and having a pair of parallel supporting arms pivotally attached at their upper ends to said tractor on the side thereof adjacent said saw and having their other ends resting on the ground on the opposite side of said tractor, and a winch mounted on the opposite side of said tractor from said saw and above said ramp with its rotary axis arranged parallel with the fore-and-aft axis of said tractor, whereby said winch may be used to draw logs into sawing position on said ramp.

8. A power saw arrangement mounted on and driven by a tractor having a power take-01T pulley mounted on a shaft extending laterally from one side of the tractor, said arrangement comprising a generally U-shaped frame mounted across the front of said tractor, the arms of said frame being attached to opposite sides of the frame of said tractor, a counter-shaft mounted for rotation on the yoke portion of said U-shaped frame at right angles to said arms and at a location forward of the front axle of said tractor, a pulley mounted on said countershaft in alignment with said take-oil pulley, a driving belt connecting said pulleys, a swinging arm positioned on the opposite side of said tractor from said take-01T pulley and being formed of two laterally spaced, parallel members having their forward ends pivotally mounted on said counter-shaft, and their rear ends extending to a point substantially mid-way between the front and rear wheels of said tractor, a second shaft mounted parallel to said counter-shaft in bearings at the free ends of said parallel members and extending inwardly beyond the inner parallel member, a circular saw mounted on the inner end of said second shaft, a driven pulley mounted on said second shaft between said parallel members, a driving pulley mounted on said countershaft in alignment with said driven pulley, a belt connecting said driving and driven pulleys, and means connected to one of said parallel members for swinging said swinging arms about said counter-shaft to raise and lower said saw.

WILLIAM ALBERT DENNIS.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 374,573 Beghtel Dec. 13, 1887 742,223 Patterson Oct. 27, 1903 1,547,360 Byrd July 28, 1925 1,835,376 Cherney Dec. 8, 1931 2,310,152 Ronning Feb. 2, 1943 

